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The Conservative Party narrowly lost their seat to the Liberal Democrats in the Brecon by-election on Thursday. Following the victory, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson was quizzed on

“working the system” by collaborating with Plaid Cymru and the Green Party. BBC host Ben Thompson also claimed there was “still an overall majority” for Leave-backing parties. Speaking on

BBC Breakfast, the presenter remarked: “You say it’s a great night for your Party, on paper yes a victory is a victory. “But nonetheless the Greens and Plaid Cymru stood aside to let you

campaign on this platform, and there was still an overall majority for parties that were backing Leave. “This is not a huge anti-Brexit movement by any stretch.” The Liberal Democrat leader

replied: “Well, first of all, I do genuinely say thank you to Plaid and the Greens, and I’ve been in touch with their leaders this morning to express that personally. READ MORE: 

CONSERVATIVES CRASH TO LOSS AS BORIS JOHNSON ENDURES FIRST DEFEAT “Because they put the national interest first and stood aside, I think that is to be welcomed and that co-operation and

working together has worked in this case. “We have a first past the post voting system, this is a voting system which you know I want to change, and if the Conservatives or anyone else who

has for years been extolling the merits of the first past the post now wants to come to the case of electoral reform. “I tell you the Liberal Democrats are going to be very up for making

sure we have a voting system where every vote counts. “But we are working the system that we have and we have won a victory with a 12 percent swing, overturning an 8,000 majority. “And this

comes off the back of our best ever local election results and storming victories in the European elections where we beat both the Conservatives and the Labour parties to our best ever local

election results too. So this is a sustained pattern of Liberal Democrats winning again, on the up.” Mr Thompson pointed out: “It’s interesting you use the phrase ‘working the system’. Many

voters will look at that and they will see the deals you did with Plaid and the Greens, and think you are working the system. This is not democracy, this is you doing deals with other

politicians to get what you want.” DON'T MISS: Leaked document reveals how May saw no deal Brexit [NEWS] Economist tipped to take over from Carney makes shock prediction [VIDEO]

BREXITEER ECONOMIST MOCKS 'APOCALYPTIC' CLAIM [VIDEO] Ms Swinson responded: “Look, I want to have a different voting system, but we work within the system that we have. For many

years the Conservatives have said that is the best system, and they can’t turn around now and say they don’t like the result and therefore this is something illegitimate. “We have a first

past the post voting system, we do want to reform it but it has elected a Liberal Democrat member of Parliament, in this constituency which as you say, voted Leave in the referendum but

where people are hugely worried.” The by-election was triggered when Tory candidate Chris Davies was ousted by a recall petition down after being convicted for a false expenses claim in

March earlier this year. The Tories re-selected him, but he lost his battle with the Lib Dems, who won more than 700 seats earlier this year, as well as Labour, who lost 82. Overall, Jane

Dodds took 13,826 votes as she beat the Tories (12,401) by 1,426 votes. Following the announcement of the result, Ms Dodds said: "The people of this constituency have chosen hope over

fear. People have chosen to believe in my positive liberal vision of something better. And by backing that vision, the people of Brecon have sent a powerful message to Westminster, we demand

better." Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party finished in third, just ahead of Labour. Tory party chairman James Cleverly said: "It's disappointing to lose a parliamentary

colleague." He also told BBC Radio 4's Today: "What we saw was a very close result in a by-election in which the Lib Dems were expected to romp home comfortably." The

turnout was registered at 59.7 percent which according to the Evening Standard is the highest turnout at a parliamentary by-election since 1997 in Winchester.